Man plans to hand out free shotguns in high-crime neighborhoods

Ex-candidate says program will reduce crime in Tucson

Published 1:09 PM EDT Mar 27, 2013

TUCSON, Ariz. -

A failed mayoral candidate plans to hand out free shotguns in some high-crime Tucson neighborhoods.

The Tucson Weekly reported that Shaun McClusky intends to give away the shotguns, along with cleaning kits and slugs, in three neighborhoods, including one that he says "is becoming rampant with breakins."

McClusky also told the newspaper that recipients would go through background checks and a training class.

The Republican, who ran unsuccessfully for City Council four years ago and failed to make the ballot for the mayor's race two years ago, said he's already raised $12,000 to help pay for the program, which is affiliated with the Armed Citizen Project.

Each package would cost about $350, the paper reported, and McClusky said he had enough money to hand out about three dozen "single-shot, break-action shotguns."

McClusky said he believes the program will reduce crime.

"Think about the impact this is going to have on a neighborhood," he told the newspaper. "If you're a criminal and you go into a neighborhood and we have a yard sign that says, 'This neighborhood is protected by armed citizens,' you're going to go to the next neighborhood, if you're the criminal."

But a councilman who lives in one of the neighborhoods targeted by McClusky's program does not agree.

"For someone to say it makes sense to be giving away loaded shotguns in high-crime areas is absolute lunacy," Councilman Steve Kozachik told the newspaper. "These people have lost their minds."

McClusky said he'll drop off fliers in the targeted neighborhoods over the next month or so, and anyone who's interested will be asked to attend a meeting, go through a background check and, eventually, receive their free shotgun.

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